For a user to utilize or consume contents of a server through an application, a request from an application layer is transmitted to the server and a response from the server is transmitted to an electronic device. When the electronic device includes a plurality of interfaces for communication, the request and the response are transmitted and received through a basic interface.
FIG. 1 illustrates signal exchange for processing a request of an application layer in an electronic device. Referring to FIG. 1, in step 101, an application 112 of the electronic device 110 transmits the request of the application layer to a request/response handler 114. In this case, the application 112 sets a waiting time for the response to the request to arrive, and waits for the response. In step 103, the request is transferred to a first interface 124 which is designated as a basic interface. In step 105, the first interface 124 transmits the request to a server 170. When the first interface 124 is a means for cellular communication, the request may be transmitted over a cellular network. Next, in step 107, the server 170 transmits a response corresponding to the request. In step 109, the first interface 124 receives and transfers the response to the request/response handler 114. In step 111, the request/response handler 114 provides the response to the application 112.
In the procedure illustrated at FIG. 1, since the response arrives within the waiting time, the response may be processed normally in the application 112. However, when the response does not arrive within the waiting time due to a problem (e.g., Input Output (IO) Exception occurrence due to a disconnection, interface speed degradation, network congestion, server congestion, etc.) of the basic interface or the network used by the basic interface, timeout may occur.
When the timeout may occur in the following cases. For example, when the electronic device moves to a place of high communication (e.g., wireless Local Area Network (LAN), cellular) signal attenuation and maintains an existing interface until it recognizes disconnection even though signals are weak, the timeout may occur. For example, when accessing a dummy Access Point (AP), the timeout may occur. For example, when a network throughput temporarily reduces because users of the network related to the basic interface abruptly increase, the timeout may occur. For example, the timeout may occur due to server delay, malfunction, and so on.
As stated above, the timeout for the request of the application layer may occur by various reasons. When the timeout occurs, the application may retransmit the request or display a screen notifying that the request is not properly executed. Although the request is retransmitted, the timeout may occur again. Also, even when the retransmitted request is successfully processed, a service delay occurs. Hence, the user may experience great inconvenience in using the service. That is, due to the timeout or the service delay, Quality of Experience (QoE) of the user declines. Thus, it is necessary to suggest an alternative for effectively processing the request of the application layer.